


Cable Guy

by LadyDrace



Series: Junk Ficlets from Tumblr [136]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkward Flirting, Books, Cable Guy Stiles, Emissary Stiles Stilinski, First Meetings, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Meet-Cute, POV Derek Hale, Writer Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 10:26:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13611429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDrace/pseuds/LadyDrace
Summary: Derek's cable guy is cute.





	Cable Guy

**Author's Note:**

> Originally [posted on Tumblr](http://ladydrace.tumblr.com/post/157856527671/cable-guy) for Lina. <3
> 
> Unbetaed.

_Oh, no. He's cute_.

 

That's the first thing that pops into Derek's head when he open the door for the cable guy. He's tall, broad-shouldered but slender, with big brown eyes and an adorable upturned nose. It's unfair, is what it is.

 

“Hi! Beacon County Fiber Optics, I'm here to set up your broadband connection?” the guy says, and Derek only manages a grunt and a nod before just giving up on dialogue, and showing the guy inside.

 

Cable guy smiles hugely, though, and wipes his feet on the doormat without having to be asked. As if Derek wasn't already awkwardly crushing on the guy.

 

As Cable Guy sets up his tools and starts measuring things, Derek sits down at his desk and tries to look like he's working. Not that he has a chance in hell of focusing while the embodiment of everything he's ever been attracted to is moving around barely three feet away from him.

 

Should he say something? Or is it bad form to hit on people while they're working? Derek is pretty sure it is. Whatever. He's shit at talking to people he's attracted to anyway. Hell, even just people in general. Derek decides not to bother him.

 

But Cable Guy doesn't seem to have any such reservations.

 

“Nice library,” he comments, nodding at Derek's groaning book-shelves.

 

“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” Derek adds belatedly, and Cable Guy grins, letting his gorgeous eyes drag over Derek first and then flick back to the books. Then his jaw drops.

 

“Oh my _god_. I can't believe you have a second edition of Bestiarium Mythica! I thought there were only like three copies left?!”

 

Derek is stunned for a second, because the vast majority of people he's ever met have no clue what a bestiary is, much less any specific ones.

 

“There are. Mine's an heirloom.”

 

Cable Guy seems to be having some sort of inner battle with himself, but whatever it's about it comes to nothing. His eyes linger on the bookshelves for a long moment before he goes back to his work with a wistful sigh. It takes at least five whole minutes before Derek works up the courage to say anything more. But Cable Guy started it, right? It should be okay... right?

 

“I'm, uh... I'm actually working on a new edition.”

 

It's almost comical how fast Cable Guy snaps his head around to stare wide-eyed at Derek. “Are you kidding me? You're not kidding! Oh, my god! When can I get one? _Can_ I get one? If there's a pre-order list, consider me on it!”

 

“Uhh,” Derek says awkwardly, not sure how to even respond to that. “It's... no, there's no pre-order list. It'll probably take me another few years to finish,” Derek admits, and he's half expecting that to be the end of it, but Cable Guy jumps to his feet, flailing around with excitement.

 

“Dude, oh my god, this is so exciting! I've always wanted to re-write it myself, but working overtime six days a week doesn't really lend much time for literary pursuits,” he says, looking vaguely sheepish, but Derek barely even notices, everything drowning in his sudden professional curiosity.

 

“Wait... are you serious? Did you ever put anything together?”

 

Cable Guy is clearly taken aback by Derek's sudden attention, but the next second he lights up again, giving Derek a cautious smile. “Well... yeah, I do have a few things tucked away. A lot of stuff on weres and earth spirits. Dark fae and a little bit of northern Europe lore. Oh, and... some Polish stuff, thanks to my grandma.”

 

“I have nothing on Europe,” Derek says. “It's actually something I was about to look for decent sources for. Would you be willing to let me look at your stuff? If you... I mean, I could-”

 

“Dude. You mean some of my stuff could end up in your book?!” Cable Guy asks, face breaking out into a huge grin. “Are you serious?! Oh my god!”

 

“I'd pay you, of course-”

 

“I don't give a shit, I just want it to-”

 

“And I'd make sure to credit you as well-”

 

“Seriously, my stuff is your stuff, I mean it, anything you need-”

 

“I wouldn't wanna take advantage-”

 

“For fuck's sake, dude, I'd hand it over right now, no questions asked, if I had it on me! I don't care about the money or the credit – though, okay, I do like money – but I just really want a decent updated bestiary for the modern age, I'm sick of coughing through mold spores looking for scraps of info in dusty old tomes every time my stupid alpha-slash-best friend has a problem.”

 

It's completely ridiculous, and an obvious sign how big a distraction the gorgeous guy is, but it's only in that moment that Derek realizes that not only is his cable guy in on the supernatural, he's also fully aware Derek is too. And... Derek takes a sniff, blatantly smelling his guest in a way he usually tries not to.

 

“You're an emissary,” Derek breathes, and Cable Guy pulls down his shirt to reveal the small tattoo on his collarbone.

 

“Guilty. Can't make a living from that, unfortunately. And you're... wolf?” Cable Guy guesses, and Derek flashes his eyes. “Alpha? Wow, okay.” Cable Guy's eyes dart to the old bestiary, and then back to Derek, and it's painfully obvious when he puts it together. “Holy shit... you're-”

 

“ _That_ Derek Hale. Yeah,” Derek confirms. Every supernatural in the state probably knows of his goddamn tragic story. “The alpha without a pack,” he says miserably, and turns away before he can see the pitying eyes.

 

“More like the boy who fucking lived, are you shitting me?” Cable Guy breathes, and Derek can't help but cast him a glance. There's no pity in his eyes. None. If anything he looks... _awed_ , eyes wide and amazed as he steps a halting step closer. “Okay, look, I'm...” Cable Guy heaves a breath and runs a hand through his hair. “I'll warn you right now, tact isn't my strong suit. But holy shit, the _Hales_... legendary, man. And to know you're trying to pass on the treasure trove of knowledge your family held? Dude, I'd be willing to debase myself pretty damn hard to get in on that, any way I can.”

 

Derek blinks at him. He's so used to the condolences spiel that it takes a minute for him to catch up to what he just heard. “How about dinner?” he blurts, flying pretty high on the novelty of someone who doesn't look at him like he's some kind of inspiration just for being a sad werewolf orphan. “I mean- would you like to have dinner with me? And... discuss further?”

 

Cable Guy does a tiny double take, and then beams at Derek. “I'd love to. And, uh... feel free to shut me down hard, but... are we talking business dinner or more of a date thing? Because I gotta tell ya, I'm totally down for either of those,” he says, waggling his eyebrows, and Derek can't help but snort. This guy is adorable.

 

“Why don't we just see where it goes,” Derek says casually, trying his best to be at least a little cautious, no matter how much he wants to press this guy up against the nearest wall.

 

“Dude, fair warning,” Cable Guy says with a wicked grin, “I'll be wearing my get-laid pants and lucky underwear.” And then he goes back to installing Derek's internet, cool as a cucumber, though he hums cheerfully to himself the whole time.

 

* * *

 

“Told you my underwear was lucky,” Stiles the cable guy tells Derek much later, panting into his ear, and Derek has to agree.

 

The bestiary is published three years later, with Stilinski and Hale as equal partners in creating it.

 

End.

 


End file.
